Skin Tags And Velvety Skin Patches: What’s The Cure?
If you’ve ever noticed small, pink and fleshy raised bumps on your neck or armpits, or a large dark or “velvety” patch of skin on the back of your neck, you aren’t alone in your concern. While these types of skin changes are often quite common and relatively harmless, they can often cause worry for two distinct reasons; how they look and what they may indicate about your health.
When we typically refer to skin tags or velvety patches of skin (medically known as acanthosis nigricans), we generally do not think of them as being just a cosmetic concern; but rather are often viewed as signs from your body that there is an issue with the way that your body metabolically functions.
What Are Skin Tags?
Skin tags, or acrochordons, are diminutive, pliable skin protrusions that dangle from the body by means of a slender stalk. They are found in skin-on-skin or clothing-on-skin locations such as eyelids, necks, armpits, groins, and the underside of breasts.
Although they are benign (non-cancerous), newly developed and rapidly proliferating skin tags are frequently associated with insulin-resistance entailed by an inability for the body to adequately use insulin to break down blood glucose. In cases of insulin-resistance, there is often an elevated level of production of growth factors (hormones) which stimulate excessive replication of skin cells giving rise to the unsightly skin tags. Lucknow call girls often mention this as a visible sign linked to underlying metabolic imbalance.
Understanding Velvety Skin Patches (Acanthosis Nigricans)
Velvety patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans) can be indicative of some degree of hyperinsulinemia (excess levels of circulating insulin). One of the ways hyperinsulinemia–in combination with other etiologies or causes of acanthosis nigricans–is diagnosed in a clinical setting, is through age-appropriate skin examination findings of darkened, thickened, velvety skin within body creases and folds.
Many do not recognize these velvety patches as true skin lesions and resort to scrubbing their skin vigorously in an effort to remove the dirt and improve personal hygiene in order to lessen their appearance. Leeds escorts believe Acanthosis nigricans are seldom improved by scrubbing and remain one of the dermatological signs of hyperinsulinemia.
The Hidden Connection: Insulin Resistance
The solution to all of these skin issues doesn’t always come from a topical treatment or laser therapy. Although those treatments may reduce symptoms, they will not assist with the underlying cause of the issue.
If your body is generating excessive amounts of insulin, it could be because your cells have become resistant to insulin’s effects. According to wellness and metabolic health topics, insulin resistance occurs when the pancreas can’t get the cells to take in glucose even if its producing high amounts of insulin. High levels of insulin cause the skin cells to replicate quickly, resulting in both skin tags and gritty skin that looks velvety.
Are You At Risk?
It should also be noted that these skin disorders can also have a genetic origin or be due to medication use. However, it’s definitely commendable to see these marks on your body and make an appointment with your doctor to specifically check for the following:
● A1C levels – the amount of blood glucose during three months
● Fasting Insulin – the amount of insulin your body has given off over a 24 hour period
● Habitual Behaviors – Assess your dietary intake, physical activity, and stress.
What’s The Cure? Strategies For Long Term Skin Health
If your healthcare provider has confirmed that your skin tags and/or velvety patches are related to insulin resistance, the “cure” is a proactive approach to optimizing metabolic health.
1. Refine Your Nutrition
The most effective way to reduce the amount of insulin produced by your body is to restrict the consumption of refined carbohydrate (e.g., white flour, white rice) and highly processed sugar (e.g., table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup) products. A whole food diet that is made up of a variety of whole foods including many servings of leafy greens, protein sources that are high-quality, and healthy sources of fat will keep blood sugar levels stable and therefore allow for insulin levels to decrease.
2. Prioritize Movement
Physical activity helps the body to become more insulin-sensitive because when you exercise, your muscle cells use glucose without needing to use as much insulin. A combination of cardiovascular exercise, such as running or swimming, and resistance exercise (also referred to as ‘strength/weight training’) can greatly increase the amount of glucose your body is able to use for fuel.
3. Manage Stress
When your body is in a state of ‘chronic’ stress, it releases cortisol, which raises blood sugar. With the increase in blood sugar, your body releases more insulin. If you practice meditation or engage in sleep hygiene, or going out for a walk to manage stress will indirectly benefit your skin by decreasing systemic inflammation and hormonal surges.
4. Professional Removal
If you find your skin tags or velvety patches to be bothersome from a cosmetic perspective, do not try to remove them by yourself. There are many “natural” remedies and/or methods of cutting out skin tags available on the internet; to use these methods will almost certainly result in infection, scarring, and an unnecessary amount of pain. A dermatologist can easily, safely and effectively remove your skin tags/patches.
The Bottom Line
While commonly viewed as “silent messengers”, skin tags and velvety patches should be considered an opportunity to assess how healthy you’re living in terms of nutrition and movement. By making sure you’re caring for your metabolic health, you will not only be improving your skin condition but also investing in your own long-term well-being.
